Difficult Truth Regarding Chiefs’ Penalties

While two were declined, the Cowboys still picked up five first downs on 10 accepted Chiefs penalties (Kansas City had zero first downs by penalty). Every one of those five first downs by penalty came in the second half.

Those first downs were critical in a 31-28 loss.

Chris Jones knew it right away

“Just a bunch of penalties, man,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said after the game, asked not about penalties but about third-down defense. “That’s something we as a team, we got to fix what we can fix on that. We put ourselves back a lot today with the defensive penalties that were called today.”

Whether they’re able to fix what happened Thursday with respect to the highly subjective calls is a matter of debate.

The 119 yards officials walked off in penalties represented the Chiefs’ most in a single game since the Super Bowl 55 loss to the Buccaneers. On that day, Feb. 7, 2021, Kansas City accumulated 120 penalty yards in the 31-9 loss.

Since Mahomes became the starter

Over a longer stretch, during the Patrick Mahomes era (2018-present), the Chiefs have had more than 119 penalty yards on just four total occasions.

They had 11 for 120 in that Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay; 11 for 15 in a 19-13 home loss to the Colts on Oct. 6, 2019; 13 for 135 in the memorable 54-51 loss at the L.A. Coliseum to Jared Goff and the Rams on Nov. 19, 2018; and – their only win in that stretch -- 10 for 136 in a 23-16 road victory over Tom Brady and the Patriots, Dec. 8, 2019.

Tom Brady was involved in two of those four games.

But as for Thursday’s loss in Dallas, the Chiefs afterward weren’t using penalties as an excuse.

“A lot of plays we could have made,” Jones lamented, “that we didn't make. And they played better than we did today.”

Two of those first downs by penalty happened on one third-quarter drive, with the Cowboys nursing a 17-14 lead. Officials got Chamarri Conner for defensive holding and Trent McDuffie for questionable pass interference, the cornerback’s first of three DPI infractions in the second half, to move Dallas closer to Brandon Aubrey’s range. The kicker hit a 36-yard field goal to end that drive.

McDuffie’s second DPI was massive. Another questionable call on an incompletion intended for Lamb, it came on second-and-10 just after the Chiefs had taken their first lead since the first half, 21-20. Instead of third-and-10 from their own 32-yard line, the Cowboys got an automatic first down.

Seven plays later, they were in the end zone to secure a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

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